Green Activities

The parks can serve as good examples of how people conserve around their own property. “Going Green” is not a fad or trend; it is now recognized as a life-sustaining necessity for life on our planet and the need for using fewer resources is rapidly growing with increasing populations. HPD has several new additions to our on-going efforts to think GREEN . Do your part to help out too – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!

Recycling

“ Aluminum” and “plastic” recycling containers have been located in two facilities for several years (at Oakwoods and Riverbend). Recent outdoor additions, sponsored by the Hancock Friends of the Parks, at Litzenberg Memorial Woods and Riverside are paving the way for more receptacles in the future.

Rain Barrel

A large rain barrel (or above ground cistern) is located at Oakwoods Nature Preserve. In one year, this 1,000 gal container filled numerous times with runoff collected from a small portion of the roof. The water is utilized for the animals in the Discovery Center , cleaning up during and after programs, cleaning the outside of the Discovery Center , filling the small pond in the wetland area behind the building, watering trees and landscape plants, and much more. Funding for this project was made possible from donations to the Richard S. “Doc” Phillips Fund, a part of the Hancock Parks Foundation.

Rain Gardens / Bio-swales

Flooding issues in and around Hancock County make these important topics. Other communities have utilized these easy and inexpensive concepts with immediate and positive outcomes. Oakwoods will utilize the bio-swale concept to help move runoff from the new parking lot addition by the Discovery Center.

Visit a local rain garden (in process) - HPD, Hancock Soil and Water Conservation District (HSWD), and OSU Extension are working on a rain garden, located behind the Hancock Agricultural Service Center on CR 140. For more information about installing your own, contact the Hancock Soil and Water Conservation District, 419-422-6569.

For those interested in volunteering with the Inventory & Monitoring program, stewardship, or for more information, please contact HPD Natural Resources Coordinator Sarah Betts at sbetts@hancockparks.com or Riverbend Ranger Station at 419-424-1555.